Metal-expanding machine



1.. E. CURTIS METAL EXPANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, .1924 f e Sheets-Sheet 1 1 INVENTOR. leidzfij 6%?2 76,

ATTORNEYS.

L. E. CURTIS METAL EXA'NDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

B ,7 I, 7 .7 4/ ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 16, 92 1,519,669

- L. E. CURTIS METAL EXPANDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY. A

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 1,519,669

I E. CURTIS METAL EXPANDING MACHINE File d Jeifi. 5, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 SJ? 5 lg INVENTOR. -Z 62026;? 020 A TTORN E YS.

Patent ed Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,519,669 PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS E. CURTIS, OF WARREN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE YOUNGSTOWN PRESSED STEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

'- METAL-EXPANDING MACHINE.

Application filed January 5, 1924. Serial No. 684,643.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS E. Gunris, a citizen of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented a new and .useful Improvement in Metal-Expanding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for ex-' panding blanks of sheet metal which have expanding arm showingthe side plates re-' moved; Fig. 5 is a view of the lower half of the expander arm as viewed on the line 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the upper halfof the expander arm viewed on the line .6

of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section through an expanding arm on the line 7 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic section al views showing the relative position of the chains of the expander arms at various positions along these arms;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged perspective of a section of the edge of the bed or Way showing the ledges over which the blank is stretched;

Fig. 12 shows a section of the slitted blank previous to expanding; and

Fig. 13 is a similar view of the section of the metal as it is expanded. The embodiment illustrated comprises 'a machine having a frame 15 above which is a table 16 along which the previously slitted blanks as shown in Fig. 12, are fed endwise to the machine. A shaft 17 is journalled in suitable hearings in the main frame and car ries a pulley 18 by which it is driven from any suitable source of power. The pinion 19 on this shaft meshes with a gear 20 on the shaft 21. The gear 22 likewise on this shaft meshes on the gear 23 on the shaft 24 which in turn carries agear 25 which meshes with the gear 26. The latter geardrives a sprocket 27 which through the chain 28 drives a similar sprocket 29 which is journalled in the outer end of the expander arm 30.

The similar expanding arms 30 and 31 are-.pivotally mounted at 32 on the machine and are made diverging on being set above and extend below the line of travel of the blank along the table 16.

These expander arms are substantial duplicates so that a description of one will suffice for both. The upper arm 30 is composed of two castings 33 and 34 secured together by means of bolts 34*. The upper casting 33 carries a chain 35 which passes over sprockets 36 and-37; the former being carried on a shaft 38 on which is keyed the sprocket 29. The chain 35 has a longitudinally grooved face 35 which is adapted to engage the indentations in the blank A which arecaused by the slitting cutters. For this reason these longitudinal grooves are preferably of a width corresponding to the width of the strands of the blank with which they co-operate. v

A series of rollers 39 are journalled on stub shafts 40 which are carried in opposite positions on shafts 41 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The'shaft 41 is journalled in the casting 33 and at its far end has pinned thereon a lever 42. A spring 43 .acts upon the end of this lever and exerts a constant pressure upon the rollers 39, which pressure istrans mitted to the chain 35 and causes it to press down on the blank A as it passes through, thereby 1 firmly. retaining the same against lateral movement.

The lower casting 34 carries a chain 44 which may suitably have a smooth face and which passes around sprockets 45 and 46.

' the former being keyed to a shaft 47 which is driven. by suit-able gears 48 and 49 from the shaft 38.

' The grooved chain 35 lies at an angle to the chain .44 as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 and overlies it'during a large portion of its length of travel. This is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9' and 10,,the first showing the relative position of the chains of the two diverging expander arms at the time the blank enters these arms. At the right of each of these 1o AA is a bar 50 having series oi stepsor shoul.-"-

. 8, 9 and- 10 the chains'35 and 35*while diyerging'in a vertical-plane have kept the same relative position laterally, while-the length and width ofthe slit-ted'portions of 1a. the positionhow-n in Figs.'9

the'position shown in Fig, -,8

struction "and arrangement: may without departing from the spirit and-scope figures the chains and M aie those that 35% and 44 blank A will havethat portion of it-fxloepandedportion of the blankjs retained-be --tween the chain 35 and thechain andthe, .bar 50. At the same and 44 carry-the blank A-jal'ong, I A being drawn across .ancl oVei'" tlie lean- 5U;-

As. it passes, over I "strands pass overthe steps or notches51, and are deflectedfdownwardly;thereoy of the invention as disclosed in the appendhave just been described', while;the chains ved claims, in which. it is my intention to at the left areI-similarzchains ofthe other expander arm '31;

It will be noted that in all three of Figs.

as broadly as possible-,in View of the prior art. .7 j

I claim: 1 i

1. In a, machinefor expanding previously slittedmetal blanks, a :pair, of diverging chains 44: and 4 B have diverged both vertically and laterally ,Alongsidethe chain feeding said blanks along said arm includders 51 .disposed as to'gcorrespond to the said arm, a stepped the blank A. 1hii's?"as the blank passes along from the position shown in Fig, 8 to and 10, the

stantia'lly' the level of said edge plate.

2. In a machineafor expandingpreviously'.slitted metal blanks, an expander having a step ped edge plate, achain movable along said e'dg1gp1at, a motablechain opposing tween the edges of "the ,bars or'edgeplates 50 and'50 defiected -and expa'nded as shown" ingjthe time the blankA isf pass'ingk fromto that 'o'f 9 and later to. th'atfo f Fig-I210, thejunexmeans [for feeding a blank between the chains," whereby the chai -are' caused to f canrythe blank 'forward' at an angle to the edge plate, ,and means for deflecting the strands of the blank over the the edge plate. 1 a

, 3. In a machine for expanding previoustime' the; chains -351 the blank the bar 50: ther variolis' expanderarms, each having a stepped edge plate, chain movable along said edge plate being". and amo vable' chain opposing the first menthereby opened to l expand l t-he; me

lieedi'r gifa blank to the expander arms, whereby each half of 'the blank is carried. forward by the chains of the expanderfarms asap-an le 'eby, deflecting the strands of the blank he. shoulders ofthe edge plates.

ing means for: guiding said blanks along edge plate lying at an x angle across said chain and a second chain operating alongsaid edge plate and at sub- ,xthe; firflshmentioned chain andedge plate, e

to the edge plate, thereon, and

claim all novelty inherent in my inventionexpanding arms, each; having a chain for.

shoulders of 1y slitted m'etal blankspa pair of diverglng. v

tioned chain and the edge vplate, means for.

LEWIS E. .onn-Tis, a 

